KUANTAN, Nov 10 — Lipis district in Pahang has been certified as the country’s current largest National Geopark by the Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (NRECC), Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said today.

The certification was done at yesterday’s National Geopark Meeting chaired by NRECC secretary-general Ching Thoo, he added.

"In line with the certification, Lipis district will be known as Geopark Lipis from November 9.

"This proves that development in Lipis is capable of turning it into a heritage and enviromentally friendly site, with the potential of being an international sustainable tourism destination,” he said in a Facebook pot today.

The 5,198 square kilometre (sq km) Lipis Geopark encompasses the entire district, containing 28 geological heritage sites, 18 cultural sites and six biological heritage sites, and areas of interest include the Lipis Geopark Aspiration Gallery, heritage-value areas such as the Bentong-Raub suture zone, the Gua Bama Permian-Triassic boundary, and Kuala Sungai Lipis, as well as sites of geotourism value, such as the Meteor Shower Cave and the Dragon Scale Cave.

The certification is also in line with the draft plan contained in the World Heritage Destination Pahang Blueprint (2024-2028) that aims to turn it into a global destination and a Unesco-branded site under the World Heritage Site (WHS), Man and Biosphere Reserve (MAB) and Unesco Global Geopark (UGGp) categories.

Wan Rosdy also expressed his thanks to all parties, especially the Pahang State Parks Corporation, for their efforts to turn the district into a National Geopark.

"I also hope for active involvement from local communities and stakeholders to ensure the Lipis Geopark region is on the right track to become a Unesco Global Geopark by 2025,” he added. — Bernama